For the Love of Chocolate: Superstitious Brides, #2

Dedication

To Jessica, a wonderful friend and

beautiful spiritual guide.

~~

Chapter 1   

You’re doing it wrong.

The man’s voice was a smooth caress on Maddie Carson’s sweaty skin, but she ignored the heat and the words, focusing instead on the clock. Thirty-five seconds left to finish this sprint on the rower. She wasn’t concerned with technique, just ... needed ... to finish.

Maddie didn’t meet his gaze in the mirror, but shifted her eyes from the clock to his reflection. As usual, he didn’t wear a shirt. Hot Shirtless Guy was the nickname she’d given him. It seemed tacky to work out at a fitness club without a shirt, but the view was enough to motivate Maddie to keep coming in three days a week at 5:00 in the morning, so she tried not to judge. Plus, she was fascinated by the double horseshoe tattoo on his chest. If he ever asked why she stared at him so much, the tattoo would be her excuse.

Ten seconds. No, don’t put the shirt on.

Running out of steam, Maddie finished with a few hard pulls and cooled down with a few softer pulls. How am I doing it wrong? she asked as Hot Shirtless Guy — unfortunately not shirtless anymore — continued to gawk at her reflection.

Why oh why did she have to wear spandex? And why wasn’t her shirt ten sizes too big to hide the evidence of eating too many brownies?

You’re not pulling it back far enough. You can increase the effectiveness of the workout by pulling it back more.

Maddie did as instructed, pulling the bar all the way to her chin. Maybe proper technique would work off all that excess fat faster.

That’s too high. You want to do it lower.

She’d rather be eating a triple chocolate brownie (with milk, so it could qualify as breakfast), but that’s what got her into this mess, so she took the man’s direction and lowered the bar. Given the way he looked, Maddie trusted he knew what he was talking about.

Now that’s too low.

Maddie raised her brow. Too high. Too low. Geesh, the only thing left was the in-between, and her breasts made that a challenge. How could she pull the bar back with her double D’s occupying all that real estate?

His lips were pursed in a tight line. You want to aim for your nipples.

As if an invitation, her nipples tightened and tingled, the sensation swirling around the large curves, heading south in a rush. Thank goodness for padded sports bras. Hot Shirtless Guy didn’t need evidence of her attraction.

Maddie wasn’t the obedient type, but she pulled the bar to her nipples, nearly cringing at the contact. She did not want to be aroused at the gym, but couldn’t keep from wondering if Hot Shirtless Guy was this suggestive in the bedroom.

Good. That’s good. Now harder.

Oh, she wanted to pull harder, but not on the rower. Somehow, her motivation returned, despite the lack of bare skin showing on his torso. The man’s approving smile and head nod set Maddie’s will on fire as she hit the highest RPM she’d ever managed on this evil machine.

Figuring he would leave now that his work was done, Maddie gave the rower a few more firm tugs before cooling down once again. She released her feet from the straps and stood, tripping over the rower’s frame.

Hot Shirtless Guy caught her, but not before she head-butted his chest. His strong grip on her arms inspired another surge south. Maddie tried to right herself by planting her hands on his pecs. As the strong muscles flexed under her fingers, she jumped back, tripping over the rower again, landing on her ass.

You alright? he asked, stepping around the machine and crouching next to her.

Fine. Just, well, I stood up too fast, got a little dizzy after all that vigorous rowing. Vigorous? Maddie wasn’t aware that word was in her vocabulary.

Let me get you some water. Don’t move. Hot Shirtless Guy moved across the room like a man on a mission, filling a paper cup at the water dispenser before returning to Maddie’s sprawl. Drink it slowly, he advised, holding the cup to her lips.

What she wanted to do was toss the water in her face to snap out of this crazy attraction. This man wasn’t her type. Maddie was smart, educated, and she was not looking for a man. Even if she was, this one,  all glorious muscles and firm skin, would never be interested in a stress-eater still twenty-pounds over her ideal weight and who didn’t know the proper technique on a rowing machine.

But she followed his command again, taking slow slips until the water was gone.

Think you can stand? he asked, still crouching next to her.

I’m fine, really, she insisted, which earned her a smile. The man had dimples a girl could fall into and never find her way out.

He held out his hand. Maddie stared at the lines on his calloused palm, wondering what he did to make them so rough and appealing.

Let me help you up, he offered, snapping her out of a fantasy-infused daze about what those hands might be capable of.

Craving his touch, Maddie gripped his hand and the energy that surged into her pulled her right off the floor. Maybe it was his strength, or maybe both, but it left her unbalanced and falling against his chest again. Her hand was pressed right against where that tattoo decorated his chest and she traced the lines she couldn’t see, imagining her fingers caressing the inked skin without the cotton there.

When his muscles flexed beneath her fingers, Maddie realized she was groping him without invitation. Sorry, she muttered, stepping back and hoping she was flushed enough from the workout that he didn’t recognize her burning cheeks as an embarrassing blush.

The man continued to smile. His eyes sparked as if he knew Maddie was mentally undressing and fondling his very enticing body. She should say something, prove she was intelligent and educated, but the power of speech abandoned her, a crazy and uncontrolled desire possessing her body and rendering her stupid.

Go ... I need to go, she stuttered, shaking her head at the stupidity of her declaration. Thanks for showing, um, teaching me proper technique. On the rower, she pointed at the machine in case he forgot what a rower was and locked her jaw closed before humiliating herself further.

Happy to help, he drawled. Any time you want me to show you proper technique, just holler.

Maddie’s nipples responded with a silent plea, sending a surge of yes, please straight to her magical place. After squeezing her thighs together to ward off the arousal, she smiled and called upon her skills of self-preservation, scurrying off before his dimples and the rest of him did further damage to her muddled brain and needy body.

~~~

Hot Shirtless Guy talked to me today, Maddie confessed as she poured a cup of coffee. She should have been grounding herself in meditation in preparation for a full schedule of clients, but coffee and Rissy seemed to outweigh spiritual preparedness.

And? Clarissa Dean swooned before taking a sip of her coffee. They’d been best friends since diapers when their moms had joined the same mom and babes playgroup. Together with Maddie’s twin brother Matt, they’d been triple trouble, inseparable until Matt joined the army right after high school.

I was on the rower and he told me I needed to pull the bar to my nipples.

Coffee spewed from Clarissa’s mouth, the thick spray showering the kitchen floor.

Well that was classy, Maddie laughed as Clarissa tried to clear her throat. Maddie grabbed paper towels from the roller and handed them to her friend.

He actually used the word nipples, out loud, in public? Clarissa asked when she got a grip.

Maddie’s nipples popped to attention just thinking about the exchange. Why is that so shocking? I use the word nipples, out loud, in public all the time.

Good point. You two must be kindred spirits.

Maddie enjoyed her coffee as Clarissa cleaned up. When all evidence of the java explosion was erased, they went into the reception area. Maddie dropped into one chair and Clarissa the one directly across. This was their morning ritual, though it usually took place after Maddie prepared for the day. Today’s long, cold shower delayed things. Why do I have to be attracted to a sweaty guy who doesn’t wear a shirt at the gym? I mean, it should be gross, right? All glistening with sweat and smelling like man. Except he doesn’t smell like gross man. He smells like take me to bed right now man.

You’re a hot mess, Clarissa laughed as Maddie fanned herself.

She was beyond a hot mess. It’d been so long since a man had touched her, she forgot what that even felt like. After groping Hot Shirtless Guy’s pecs, Maddie was desperate for more contact of the physical variety. To her, skin to skin contact was as necessary as water and air. People connected differently at the molecular level, exchanging and sharing energy to promote emotional well-being. As a result of not allowing herself to date, Maddie had denied herself that connection with men, which was why she’d been so shocked by the potency of the man’s touch. He rocked her, not just sexually, but in every way possible. Since she hadn’t completed her personal transformation from comfort-eater and desperate dater, craving that kind of connection would send her head first into a tailspin of old habits and self-destruction.

You’re the one who sprayed coffee all over the kitchen, Maddie reminded Clarissa, trying to take the focus off her personal issues.

Clarissa shook her head. Forgive me if nipple isn’t a regular part of my vocabulary. It’s a symptom of having a flat chest.

You don’t have a flat chest, Maddie corrected.

Pretty close. So what happened after he commented on your nipples?

Maddie relayed the rest of the story, from grabbing his amazing pecs to tripping over the rower and stuttering like a fool.

Clarissa had to put her coffee on the table she was laughing so hard. Maddie tried to hold it in, but ended up laughing right along with her. At least I didn’t choke on the water he made me drink, she chortled.

Is that why you were late this morning? Clarissa asked. Normally, Maddie was in the office long before her friend arrived for coffee, but this morning they had pulled into the parking lot at the same time.

I had to take a cold shower, she admitted.

I think you should ask him out. You’re taking control of your life. This self-imposed celibacy doesn’t have to completely cut you off from men.

You’re one to talk. When was the last time you dated?

I’m busy, Clarissa said, her stern voice saying the topic was closed.

If Maddie had time, she’d step through that door and slam it shut, forcing Clarissa to admit why she wasn’t dating.

Maddie knew the answer. Every time Matt deployed, Maddie gained 15 pounds. It was no coincidence Clarissa turned into a workaholic. She and Matt may have split up all those years ago, but it didn’t take a degree in psychology or a clinical practice to surmise the truth. Clarissa was still in love with Matt.

Since Matt was still in love with Clarissa, something he also wouldn’t admit but that Maddie sensed all the way to her bones, it was a double dose of stupidity and stubbornness.

I blame Matt, Maddie sighed before taking a long sip of coffee.

Clarissa took a long drink of her coffee too, keeping eye contact but not saying a word. Maddie knew she hated talking about Matt, but as the best friend, she was supportive even though nearly ten years later, she was still nursing a broken heart.

"If he hadn’t joined the stupid army, you wouldn’t be looking at me like that and I wouldn’t have gained 45 pounds.

You’re a stress eater. You can’t blame that on your brother.

He’s not here, I can blame everything on him.

Clarissa remained silent, so Maddie took another sip of coffee. She’d given up the sugar and creamer as a compromise to keep her morning elixir, but today coffee wasn’t going to be enough. I need chocolate, she sighed.

I miss your brownies, Clarissa sighed back.

Maddie missed them, too, as much as she missed dating. A comfort-eater who made amazing brownies, a skill she’d learned from her mother who was a stress-baker, was a lethal combination. To lose weight, Maddie had to give up baking. The only good thing about that, aside from losing 25 pounds so far, was spending more time with her horses. As a reward, she had taken all the money she saved on baking ingredients and put it into her new horse fund. The reward was about to pay off since she’d found the perfect horse to replace her chocolate addiction.

Chapter 2   

Darren wished he was skilled like Brent Daniels. The man could wield a chainsaw as though it were a surgeon’s blade, carving and shaping the log from a mere stump into a fantastic statue. He’d been given the nickname Bear because that was the animal he’d originally carved, but now he did everything from eagles to dogs.

Whatever he was working on now, it was the early stages because Darren couldn’t recognize what the creature might be. He took a seat on the bench at the back of Bear’s workshop to watch the craftsman in action. In the winter, the man carved inside, but when it was nice enough out, like today, he carved outside, leaving the garage style doors open to air out the shop.

After a few minutes, Bear turned off the chainsaw and nodded at Darren. Darren held out the coffee he’d brought for his friend.

Do you believe in love at first sight? Darren asked.

Bear put the chainsaw down and lifted his safety goggles. This sounds serious?

Sounds stupid, actually. Now that I said it out loud, I can’t even believe I asked you that question.

Taking a seat next to Darren, Bear chuckled. What’s her name? Where’d you meet her? Bear was a good guy. He hardly ever smiled, and Darren suspected that was because he was nursing his own broken heart, even though he wouldn’t talk about it.

I met her at the gym. I don’t know her name. He’d been kicking himself for not asking.

How can you meet a woman but not know her name?

She was working out. I helped her, and embarrassed her, I think.